It was more than 50 years ago that Peter Drucker wrote, “Nobody pays for a product. What is paid for is satisfaction.”

Yet, in the years since, companies across industries have continued to market their “products,” only to be surprised by the inconsistency with which they can predict what customers actually will buy and be happy with.​If companies are to succeed at selling their offerings, they’re going to need to stop thinking about what they’re trying to sell, and start thinking about what customers are trying to buy.